1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sprig harvesters used in harvesting grass sprigs for grasses such as Bermuda grass, and more particularly, to a sprig harvester having a hopper and an upper elevator which may be pivoted between traveling and operating positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With grasses such as Bermuda grass, sprig harvesters are used to remove growing grass from a plot of land, separate the grass from the soil, and convey the grass sprigs to a transport vehicle. One such device is the Bermuda King.RTM. Sprig Harvester. This apparatus is manufactured in the form of a trailer which may be pulled behind a suitable vehicle, such as a tractor.
The Bermuda King.RTM. Sprig Harvester includes a harvesting or first elevator portion having a forward end with rotary cutting blades which cut into the soil and lift the cut grass sprigs and soil, still partially affixed to the grass, and allow the sprigs and soil to fall onto a large, first elevator chain. This first elevator chain moves in a longitudinal direction to convey the sprigs and soil upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the apparatus. The movement of the chain provides enough vibration so that the soil is substantially broken away from the grass sprigs themselves, and virtually only the grass sprigs reach the top of the first elevator chain.
A second, upper elevator extends transversely to the first elevator, and the grass sprigs falling from the top of the first elevator chain fall onto a lower portion of a second elevator chain in the second elevator. The second elevator carries the grass sprigs transversely and upwardly where they are discharged into a suitable receptacle, typically a transport vehicle such as a truck, alongside the sprig harvester. The transverse elevator is raised manually to its operating position and supported by chains.
The second, transverse elevator must be manually lowered and disconnected from the main apparatus so that it can be mounted in a longitudinally disposed traveling position alongside the main elevator when the apparatus is being pulled down the road. That is, the second elevator cannot remain in its operating transverse position when traveling.
Functionally, the prior art sprig harvester works well, but the process of disconnecting the transverse elevator and stowing it for traveling and then repositioning it when operation is again desired, is time-consuming. The apparatus of the present invention solves this problem by providing a transverse elevator and hopper system which is pivotally connected to the main apparatus. It is a simple matter to rotate it between the traveling and operating positions. A hydraulic cylinder system is used to raise and lower it.